Between the inner room and side chamber was only a floor-to-ceiling screen. If one looked carefully through the carved ruyi patterns, one could even see the figures of the Old Madam, Sun Shi, and others clearly. Their conversation naturally reached the ears of Qin Yining and Qin Huining.
Qin Yining sat quietly throughout, toying with the azure and white covered bowl in her hands.
Qin Huining, however, gritted her teeth while forcibly maintaining a dignified sitting posture, secretly calculating how she could speak with Nanny Bao so her maternal grandmother would know how much she had suffered!
Therefore, upon suddenly hearing the Old Madam wanted them to come out, Qin Huining immediately felt delighted, feeling like a drowsy person finding a pillow—her luck was about to turn!
She didn’t believe that Nanny Bao, an old nanny who placed such importance on propriety and etiquette, would retain any good impression of Qin Yining after learning she had resorted to violence!
If Nanny Bao disliked Qin Yining, Duke Dingguo’s wife wouldn’t have a good first impression of her either. She at least had over ten years of affection with her mother and the Old Madam, plus Duke Dingguo’s wife’s favoritism—her future days might not be so bad after all.
Thinking of this, Qin Huining shot up, not waiting for a maid to assist her. She rushed out in a staggering manner, taking three steps forward and two back, even abandoning the dignity she usually cared about most.
Qin Yining was the complete opposite. She slowly stood, smoothed her robes, and smiled gently at the head maid Ji Xiang who came to relay the message: “Thank you for your trouble, Sister.”
Her smile was brilliant, causing Ji Xiang to momentarily lose focus. Silently marveling, she respectfully offered symbolic support as they went out: “This slave doesn’t dare. Miss may simply call me Ji Xiang.”
At this moment, Nanny Bao was curiously looking toward the inner room when, in the blink of an eye, she saw Qin Huining stumble out.
“Mother!” Qin Huining sobbed as she threw herself into Sun Shi’s arms: “Mother, you’ve finally returned!”
Her appearance suggested someone had greatly wronged her while Sun Shi was away.
The Old Madam frowned upon seeing this.
Nanny Bao also knitted her brows in confusion at Qin Huining’s behavior. If she hadn’t seen wrong, in that brief moment she seemed to have seen a large swollen area on half of Qin Huining’s face.
Sun Shi patted Qin Huining’s back, smiling: “What’s wrong? After just one night apart, my Hui Jie’er misses me this much?”
Qin Huining raised her swollen face, crying: “Mother, your daughter, your daughter missed you.”
Half of her delicate face was swollen beyond recognition. Combined with her tearful, pitiful appearance, it made Sun Shi’s heart tighten.
“Hui Jie’er, what happened to your face!” Sun Shi’s voice was sharp and urgent, though her movements touching her cheek were very careful.
Qin Huining’s teardrops fell like broken pearls as she choked and shook her head: “It’s, it’s nothing. It’s your daughter’s own fault.”
While mother and daughter spoke, Qin Yining had already walked forward under Ji Xiang’s attendance, properly bowing to the Old Madam and Sun Shi, then performing a half-bow to Nanny Bao.
Nanny Bao quickly stood to avoid it, not daring to receive her bow, instead performing a deep bow to Qin Yining.
“Fourth Miss, may you be well. This old slave is surnamed Bao, sent by Duke Dingguo’s wife to visit.”
Qin Yining imitated Nanny Bao’s earlier manner, also stepping aside to avoid her bow, then came forward to support her with both hands, saying courteously: “Please rise, Nanny Bao. Thank you for making this trip. I was also hoping to visit my maternal grandmother and grandfather.”
As Nanny Bao rose and lifted her eyes, she met a pair of bright, spring-like eyes. Even this experienced old nanny who had seen much in her years was shocked by that glance and gentle smile:
Eyebrows sweeping into her temples with heroic spirit, almond eyes bright and lively with flying glances, features exquisite as carved jade, tall stature with composed bearing.
This young lady indeed resembled the young Qin Huaiyuan, yet possessed several points more of feminine charm and purity unique to women, plus some cleverness and spirituality—truly a handsome and elegant figure.
From when Qin Yining and Qin Huining emerged from the inner room until now, Nanny Bao had been carefully observing.
Compared to Qin Huining’s aggrieved crying, Qin Yining appeared much more dignified.
Moreover, Nanny Bao had seen her share of inner chamber scheming. Qin Huining’s appearance of hidden schemes and exaggerated grievances inevitably seemed somewhat affected—only someone like Sun Shi, whose heart was entirely focused on her daughter with overflowing maternal love, would fail to notice her scheming.
The Old Madam had already felt very displeased seeing Qin Huining crying and rushing out like that.
Family scandals shouldn’t be made public. Regardless of whether Qin Huining was at fault, these were matters to be resolved behind closed doors within the Prime Minister’s manor. How could this confused girl publicize such matters in front of people from Duke Dingguo’s household?
Fortunately, afterward seeing Qin Yining, though she hadn’t learned proper etiquette, cleverly imitate others and perform her bows properly, the Old Madam’s gloom eased somewhat.
The Old Madam loved Qin Huining deeply and understood her panic and difficulties, but she was dissatisfied with her current behavior. Previously, when nothing had happened, she hadn’t noticed, but now that they truly faced a major incident, Qin Huining’s various behaviors seemed rather petty. Her conduct was not as steady as a girl who came from the mountains.
Seeing Qin Yining finish greeting Nanny Bao, the Old Madam said: “All sit down and talk.”
“Yes.” Nanny Bao and Qin Yining responded.
Sun Shi, however, knitted her brows into knots, pulling the sniffling Qin Huining as she looked toward the Old Madam, her voice rising: “Old Madam, I was only away for one night—how did Hui Jie’er’s face end up like this? Could it be someone bullied her? If there really is such a person, I absolutely won’t let it go. Even though she’s become my adopted daughter now, she’s still a young miss of our manor. There’s no reason to let her be bullied for nothing!”
Sun Shi spoke righteously, staring at the Old Madam with eyes containing two flames. She assumed Qin Huining had perhaps made some mistake and been slapped on the Old Madam’s orders, beaten this severely. As a mother, how could she not seek justice for her daughter?
Ultimately, Sun Shi couldn’t imagine that Qin Huining had been beaten by Qin Yining.
Sun Shi’s indignant appearance nearly made the Old Madam faint with anger.
“Eldest daughter-in-law, is this how you speak to your mother-in-law?”
Sun Shi lifted her chin and pressed her lips together. Many words she could use to argue with the Old Madam flashed through her mind during her internal struggle, but she hesitated due to her birth mother’s instructions when she returned to the manor.
Seeing Sun Shi’s expression, the Old Madam could guess what she was thinking.
Looking at Qin Huining’s sobbing appearance, unable to speak clearly and instead arousing Sun Shi’s suspicions about her, her mood immediately plummeted to rock bottom. She was too lazy to preserve Sun Shi’s dignity any longer.
“Sun Shi, you needn’t speak to me like this. What happened last night, we all know in our hearts. Nanny Bao isn’t an outsider either. At my age, I have no need to create irreconcilable conflicts solely over your main branch’s affairs. Look at what kind of good daughter you’ve raised.”
The Old Madam glared at Sun Shi, then continued: “You feel heartbroken seeing Hui Jie’er like this? But wasn’t Hui Jie’er beaten because of your poor guidance? Because you lost control of your behavior? Hui Jie’er carelessly spoke, making you misunderstand Yi Jie’er and think she was an illegitimate daughter. Without verification, you quarreled with Meng Ge’er and returned to your natal family.
“Yi Jie’er is proper. Seeing you return to your natal family, she felt Hui Jie’er had instigated trouble. Whether intentional or not, it was unforgivable, so she took action.
“Though these two children—one made an unintentional mistake, the other acted out of anger for her parents’ harmony—their sisterly discord still deserved punishment. I, this old woman, have already disciplined them on your behalf.
“What, you ran back to your natal family, and now you return to blame the mother-in-law who helped discipline your daughter? That would be too absurd!”
The Old Madam’s words left Sun Shi stunned in place.
Nanny Bao, listening from the side, had already analyzed several key points from the Old Madam’s words:
Qin Yining had beaten Qin Huining.
Qin Huining’s words had unintentionally caused Sun Shi to suspect Qin Yining’s identity, leading to Sun Shi’s quarrel with Qin Huaiyuan.
From the Old Madam’s manner, Qin Yining beating Qin Huining hadn’t made the Old Madam dislike her.
Thinking of this, the earlier scenes of Qin Yining’s composed bowing and Qin Huining’s tearful, wronged appearance merged together, already generating many speculations in Nanny Bao’s mind.
Nanny Bao smiled to smooth things over: “Old Madam Qin, please calm your anger. Our young madam is straightforward. You care for her most—please don’t let this cause misunderstandings.”
Sun Shi, however, ignored Nanny Bao’s words, turning her gaze to Qin Yining who stood quietly nearby, demanding: “Did you strike Hui Jie’er?”
Qin Yining lowered her eyes: “Yes.”
“What vicious methods you have!”
“In response to Madam’s words, Qin Huining’s implied words made you misunderstand Father, affecting your harmony with him. Your daughter was truly too angry and took action.”
Sun Shi gritted her teeth: “Am I dead perhaps? Is it your turn to discipline her!”
“Young Madam!” Nanny Bao, hearing Sun Shi speak inappropriately, grabbed her wrist and stared into her eyes, saying word by word: “Please—watch—your—words!”
Sun Shi panted with anger, her chest heaving with rapid breathing.
Qin Huining seemed to come to her senses from shock, falling to her knees with a thud, sobbing: “Mother, please calm your anger. It’s my fault, everything is my fault. Please don’t get angry anymore. If you hurt your health from anger, wouldn’t that all be your daughter’s fault?”
Seeing her daughter so wronged, even though Sun Shi knew she should happily acknowledge Qin Yining, she couldn’t swallow this anger.
If Nanny Bao weren’t holding her back, she truly wanted to rush forward and slap Qin Yining’s face to make it as swollen as Qin Huining’s.
Qin Yining calmly watched the enraged Sun Shi, her already cold heart now seemingly frozen solid.
She was very sensitive to detecting hostility. She couldn’t be mistaken about Sun Shi’s hostile gaze that wanted to devour her alive.
Her mother not only refused to acknowledge her but also wanted to harm her…
Qin Yining sighed softly and lowered her long lashes.
She shouldn’t harbor any more illusions.
Seeing the Old Madam’s displeased expression, Nanny Bao smiled and took her leave.
The Old Madam didn’t want to keep them longer either. Her mind in chaos, she was too lazy to look at these people anymore. Even Qin Huining, whom she usually favored, annoyed her now, so she simply dismissed everyone.
Leaving Cixiao Garden, the group silently arrived at the main branch’s Xingning Garden, where Nanny Bao called out to Qin Yining: “Fourth Miss, may this old slave speak with you privately?”